The present disclosure relates generally to cleansing compositions. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to antimicrobial cleansing compositions such as hand cleansing foams and gel soaps. The antimicrobial cleansing compositions avoid the use of potentially hazardous and/or environmentally dangerous ingredients, the use of which are recently being increasingly limited in cleansing compositions by governmental bodies and regulatory agencies.
Cleansing compositions commonly contain antimicrobial actives that, while being effective, have recently been found to be potentially environmentally dangerous ingredients. More particularly, many regulatory agencies and consumer groups have raised issues regarding the use of these potentially dangerous ingredients, and in particular, have raised issues regarding the use of ingredients such as triclosan, triclocarban and halogenated phenols. For example, many governmental bodies and regulatory agencies are more commonly requiring registration of individual raw materials, which results in cost increases and product release delays. Similarly, the European Union is in the process of imposing a new regulation on the classification, labeling, and packaging of substances and mixtures, which will replace the Dangerous Substances Directive and the Dangerous Preparations Directive (DSD/DPD) currently in place. These regulations include assessments of individual ingredients along with combinations based on hazard classification.
Because of these regulations and concerns over the use of these potentially hazardous and environmentally dangerous ingredients, there exists a need to develop alternative antimicrobial cleansing compositions containing active ingredients that are effective and safe for everyday use.